Nuts and Bolts: Travel Tips for Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai is full of wats

This page has some travel tips for Chiang Mai to aid you if you are planning your trip. Remember, we are a family of five, and we travel mostly to eat. We were in Chiang Mai for a little over a month in 2015. If your trip to Chiang Mai is significantly longer, shorter, or with a different focus, you may have a very different experience.

Chiang Mai Weather

We were in Chiang Mai in mid-July, again in mid-August, and again for most of November 2015. The weather was warm, but not nearly as hot as Bangkok. We certainly had a bit of rain, but not enough to really put a damper on our plans. Maybe enough to warrant buying an umbrella.

If you go trekking in the mountains, it can get chilly even in July. If you’re a wimp (like we are), you may want a sweater for some evenings in the winter.

Note: Avoid Chiang Mai in the spring, when farmers burn their fields. We haven’t been there ourselves during this time, but we hear it’s extremely unpleasant.

Getting to Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is the transportation hub of northern Thailand. Our favorite way to get there from Bangkok is the overnight train, usually around US$20 per person (depending on your berth). Outside of high season (November–January), you can often just show up at the train station a few days before and grab tickets. In high season, book ahead.

Once, we used a company called 12 Go Asia, paying online and picking up physical tickets at their office in the Bangkok rail station. It worked smoothly.

We always book 2nd class sleepers. At first, they’re two seats facing each other. Later, a railway worker converts them into beds. If you can sleep while being rocked gently (or not so gently) by the train, you’ll sleep well. Food is sold on board, but we usually bring snacks too. Just note—the trains are often late. Sometimes very late. Be prepared.

Plenty of space for kids and adults to do their own thing on the train

Flying is the other main way to reach Chiang Mai. A variety of budget airlines fly between Chiang Mai and Bangkok. On our last stay, flights were only slightly more expensive than train tickets, so we flew.

Heads up: Most Chiang Mai flights land at Don Muang Airport in Bangkok, not the main international airport (Suvarnabhumi). So if you’re planning on a connecting flight out of Bangkok, double-check which airport you need.

Traveling within northern Thailand:You’ll likely use buses, minivans, or songtaews. Minivans are cheap, fast, and frequent—but the winding mountain roads can be rough if you get motion sickness. Bring Dramamine and a plastic bag, just in case.

Songtaews (pickup trucks with two rows of benches in the covered back) are cheap, fun, and may be your only option if you want to get off the beaten path. They can get crowded. You might end up riding on the roof.

Buses are cheap and straightforward. You’ll pay once you’re on board—have small bills ready. Don’t hand the driver a 1000 baht note.

Inter-city songtaew

Staying Connected

We used AIS and D-TAC SIM cards. Both had good coverage. We got set up at a cell shop and then topped up at 7-11s. I usually added 300 baht per month for about 4GB of data.

Almost every guesthouse and hotel has free Wi-Fi, but it’s usually terrible. I’ve had better Wi-Fi in rural China than in Chiang Mai.

Sleeping in Chiang Mai for the Cheapskate Family

The White House: In the Old City, near the Thapae Gate. About 500 baht for a double (plus 50 baht for an extra person). AC, and theoretically hot water. Basic but fine.

Ban Jaja: Also in the Old City, near White House. 500 baht for a double with AC, 400 without. Super friendly auntie at the front desk. Cute little garden with hammocks. Netflix-streamable Wi-Fi (most days). Probably our favorite place we stayed.

Anodard: A large, character-free hotel in the middle of the Old City. But reliable and more likely to have rooms if you show up late. It even has a swimming pool (which we never used). 800 baht for a room that just barely fit all five of us.

Airbnb: We stayed two weeks in a house outside the Old City. The Wi-Fi struggled if all five of us used it at once, but we loved the local vibe and found a great little food courtyard nearby with cheap, delicious meals.

Getting Around

Inside the Old City? Just walk.

Going farther?

Use songtaews. Red ones are for city trips. Just wave one down, tell the driver where you’re going, and hop in. Other passengers may be picked up along the way. It’s like a cross between a taxi and a bus. Standard fare is 20 baht per person—but always confirm before getting in.

You can also hire songtaews for the day to visit places like Tiger Kingdom, Doi Suthep, or nearby waterfalls. Bargain hard. Your hotel can give you an idea of what’s reasonable.

You can also use Grab, the main ride-share app used in Southeast Asia. Download the app on your phone. I recommend you set it up to just pay the driver cash at the end of the ride (some riders have reported scams and/or mistakes with billing when they enter their credit card into the app to pay). Sometimes it may be a very long wait for a grab, so I recommend you also become comfortable with songtaews. But when it works well, Grab is a super convenient way to get around Thai cities.

What to Do

Temple Walk

The Old City is full of temples. Grab a map, wear comfy shoes, and start exploring. Some temples (like Wat Chedi Luang, or the Silver Wat) offer “monk chats”—opportunities to talk with monks. It’s a great experience. Just remember to cover your shoulders and knees.

Tiger Kingdom

We love this place. The tigers are definitely not drugged (they run, jump, and play). You can spend time with little, medium, and big tigers. Check their website for details. If you worry whether Tiger Kingdom fits within your own personal ethics, there is a fair amount of information about it online. Do some research and make an informed decision.

Tiger in action

Trekking

Trekking options abound around Chiang Mai, though places like Mae Hong Son or Laos might offer less-touristy experiences. Check updated info before booking.

Daughter 3 being adorable at a village after a long day of trekking in the hills outside Chiang Mai

Please avoid “long-neck” villages.

These are not traditional communities—they exist purely as tourist attractions. Many residents are essentially indentured servants.

Walking Markets

Saturday and Sunday walking markets are great for souvenirs and street food—but go early. By 6:30 PM, they get stupid crowded. Seriously, you can’t even move.

The Sunday Walking Market is one of our all-time favorite food spots.

Art in Paradise

An interactive 3D art museum. Great for kids and adults alike.

The wife and daughters playing at Art in Paradise

Massages

Michelle says Chiang Mai has the best price-to-quality ratio for massages in Thailand. (I’ll take her word for it.)

Tourist Trips

Travel agents can book you trips to spend time with elephants (please don't ride them), whitewater rafting, ziplining, etc.

The Night Market

Only worth a visit if you miss the walking markets.

In Chiang Mai, the trick isn’t finding things to do—it’s making time between meals to do them. Because travel.